For more than a century England repeatedly invaded France on the pretext that its kings had a right to the French throne—sacking towns and castles and winning glorious victories at Crecy, Poitiers, and Agincourt—only to lose most of its gains in a mere four years. In this history, the author of The Burning of the Vanities relates the exploits of such legendary figures as Henry V, the Black Prince, Charles VII, and Joan of Arc, tracing the events that led to France's final victory and bringing to life these last chivalric combats, which soon gave way to the more brutal methods of modern warfare.